Adjustable sausage gauge



Oct. 15, 1935. T. H.' MATTHEISS 2,017,765

ADJUSTABLE SAUSAGE GAUGE Filed Aug. '7, 1935 Z HHRUZXQSS Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED ST ATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates generally to gauges or measuring devices and the like, and. particularly to a device for the measuring .of sausages for packing and market purposes.

5 The object of the invention is to provide at a minimum cost an eflicient means of producing sausage of a uniform desired length for small packages of a determined weight and to eliminate the necessity of using expensive automatic machinery for such a purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide at a moderate price a sanitary device for the preparation of such sausages made of ncnabsorbent material and easily cleaned, a great improvement over the means now utilized.

The invention consists broadly in a combination of two cooperating members made of aluminum or other suitable material either tooled or cast, said members having top and side sections approximately rectangular in shape, one member adapted to be slidable upon the other member of smaller dimensions and adjustable in combi nation therewith to a predetermined length.

With reference to the accompanying drawing;Figure l is a perspective view of the gauge with the members adjusted to their combined length. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gauge indicating the operation of the cooperating members. Figure 3 is an end elevation of the gauge showing the relative position of the members with one another.

As indicated in the drawing, Fig. 1, the upper member 3 is adapted to slide upon the lower member 4 and is adjustable from the minimum to the maximum length of the gauge, the oppositely directed ends of said members having vertical flanges as indicated at 5, which may be indented or curved as shown or parallel with the ends of the said members. The side walls of the upper member 3 are slotted horizontally at their middle portion as shown at 6 to allow the passage of the thumb screw 1 by which the position of the member can be adjusted and set at a predetermined point. The upper slotted portions of the side walls of said member 3 are reinforced and somewhat thicker than the lower portions of said walls as indicated at 8. The top of the lower member 4 is scaled by means of indented lines at set distances as indicated at 9, the said top and the side walls are reeniorced and strengthened by means of the plates l0, see Fig. 3, aifixed to the inner side near each end of said member, and the side walls further reenforced at one end to supply a threaded socket for the thumb screws as indicated at H.

As hereinbefore stated the cooperating members of the gauge may be constructed of tooled or cast aluminum or other suitable material and the jointure of the top with the side walls of said members may be in the form of a convex 5 curve as shown in the drawing or in that of an acute angle.

As various changes may be made in the size, shape and character of the above embodiment without departing from the spirit of the inven- 10 tion all"matter herein set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim 1. In a gauging device of the class described, comprising a combination of two cooperating 15 members each having flat top table and side component parts adapted to be slidable one upon the other the top table part of each member being planar, and a gauging flange on each member extending above the combined table portions 20 at opposite ends of the latter whereby said table parts are free to support the article to be gauged.

2. In a gauge of the class described, comprising a combination of two nested U shaped members adapted to be slidable one upon the other, means 25 comprising a cooperating screw and slot to secure the upper member to the lower member said means disposed in the sides of the Us leaving the horizontal portions of said members free from obstruction, each member having a verti- 30 cal flange on the outer end of its horizontal portion said flanges for engaging the article to be gauged, and a scale upon the top of the lower member to indicate the setting of the upper member. 35

3. A gauge comprising two nested members each provided with opposed vertical sides and a horizontaltable portion free from obstruction for supporting the article to be gauged, said portion connecting the upper extremities of said 40 sides, said table portions substantially in the same plane and slidable one within the other, each member provided with a vertically disposed flange extending above the table portion, both flanges disposed at the outer ends of the nested 45 members to leave the table portions thereof free for supporting the gauged article, and means to secure said members in gauging relation.

4. A gauge comprising two nested members each provided with opposed vertical sides and 50 a horizontal table portion free from obstruction for supporting the article to be gauged, said portion connecting the upper extremities of said sides, said table portions substantially in the same plane and slidable one within the other, 55

and a gauging flange on each member extending above the combined table portions at opposite ends of the latter. 7

5. A gauge comprising two nested members each provided with opposed vertical sides and a substantially horizontal table portion for supporting the article to be gauged, said portion connecting the upper extremities of said sides,

said members slidable one within the other, each 

